Nancy Flanagan is an education writer and consultant focusing on teacher leadership. She spent 30 years in a K-12 music classroom in Hartland, Mich, and was named Michigan Teacher of the Year in 1993. She is National Board-certified, and a member of the Teacher Leaders Network. She welcomes feedback on her sharp-eyed perspectives on the inconsistencies and inspirations, the incomprehensible, immoral and imaginative, in American education. She is a digital
organizer for IDEA (Institute for Democratic Education in America). You can follow her on Twitter @nancyflanagan.

First thought: Thanks for acknowledging a handful of the swelling cadre of articulate educators and parents who are mad as hell about what's happening to their public schools and just not going to take it anymore. We like it when our efforts are noticed and shared.

Second, a question: Does Russo seriously misunderstand the distribution patterns and naked influence of cash in education "reform?" Highly doubtful. He's the trained professional education journalist, presumably always alert to tracking the money trails-- I'm just a retired teacher.

Third theory:Education entrepreneurs know how to talk to young teachers. It's a seductive line: your youth and energy are what we need, your special smarts trump veteran teachers' experience. You're not a "regular" teacher--you're a leader! All of this rhetoric is fine until you find yourself alone in an out-of-control classroom, where some of that honed-by-fiery-trial pedagogical skill and commitment to your students might come in handy. (If you don't plan to remain in teaching, it's not such a big deal.)

Fourth question: Does Russo really believe that all genuinely progressive educators know each other, and are partnering in a grand strategy to thwart "reform?" I like a good conspiracy theory as well as the next guy, but on this one, he's wildly off-base. There may be more on-the-ground teachers and parents blogging these days--and making more persuasive, data-based arguments. But, no, Mr. Russo. There is no secret "reform critic" handshake. There are more people speaking out against "reform" because--well, because they're finally mad as hell and...etc.

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